Matrix-plate holder and spacer.



D. G. HOLT & G. R. HORTON. MATRIX PLATE KOLDEB. AND SPACER. APPLICATION FILED FBB.23, 191i.

1,082,197, Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTORY f If. M, x 9. M,

"w; A giv s? Pi i .CEL. Lishidij l ZGAVID GEORGE HOLT, OF SANTA MONICA, AND GEOEGE RAY HORTON 33? 1'35 ANGELES, CALIFQBNIA.

MATHI-PLATE HOLDER AND SPACER.

- Application filed February 23, 1911.

Specificatior of Letters Patent.

Pater Serial No. 610,272.

. county of Los Angeles and in the Sta e of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Matrix-Plate Holders and Spacers, of which the following is especification.

The present invention relates to an improved form of matrix plate holder and spacer for holding in line and spacing matrix plates, to cast a line of type therefrom. object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will allow of both hands of the operator being free. to assemble the matrix plates therein; in which the space bands do not have to be positively moved into position between the matrix plates but, on. being released by a simple and easy operation, automatically find their position; which will contain improved means for adjusting the length of a line or" matrix plates to produce agiven line of type, and for easily ascertaining the exact, length of the linewhich is being formed in the device; and which can, be readily taken apart and the order of the space bands changed, or the space bands replaced by new ones if necessary.

in the accompanying drawing, Figure l is front view of our improved inatrizr plate holder and spacer; Fig. 2 1s a side view of the instrument in position; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig, 1; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line of Fig. 1; Fig.5 is a detail plan view of a portion of a shaft; Figs 6 and are perspective views of two space bands.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the base of our improved matrixplate holder having a smooth plane upper surface 2 upon which the matrix plates rest. The upper end 3 of said base is extended upwardly above said surface 2, and to the lower end oi the base is connected, by longitudinal screws 4i, 2; rest block 5, extending above the upper surface 2,

and substantially uniform in size and shape with extended upper end Rigid ty seertical ins 5 in recesses in the vers said extended end 3 are ears *4" which. extend lon e case rest block by transverse screws 8. The upper surface 2 of said lease and the inner opposmg surfaces of said bars tlius form supports on three sides for the edges of matrix plates 9 which are inserted between said bars from the top. Surrounding said bars and adapted to move loosely thereon are a plurality of pairs of space hands 10, 11, each formed of a rectangular plate having' a large central aperture spaced from;

the outer edge of the plate at a substantially uniform distance, leaving a rectangular band of substantially uniform width. The apertures in the bands 10 are only slightly longer than the distance between the euteredges of the bars 7, so that the longitudinal movement permitted to said bands 10 is very small. The apertures in the bands 11ers considerably longer than said distance, so that they are capable of movement to a considerahle extent in a longitudinal direction or transversely of thecomposing stick. Both the short hands 10 and the long bands ll. are in the form of wedges, the taper of said hands 10, 11 being opposite directions and the same for both so that on the movement of the hands 11 in their longitudinal direction toward their thin ends, the spaces between said matrix plates will be completely closed and the line matrix plates us'ii'ied,

To form the measure of the line of matrix plates, there is provided a cross head 12, the ends or which are bifurcated, and move in longitudinal grooves 18, 1c, in the inner or opposing surfaces of the bars 7. Said cross head is retained in place by means of a round stem 15 secured thereto which passes through a bearing 16 cast upon the outer side of the extended end 3 and is adjustable in said. hear-- ing, being retainedL in the adjusted po. sition icy-a pin 1? which passes downward through any one of a series ct preferably three, holes 18 formed in said end 31 and the-lower end of which pin is adapted to enter any one of series oi notches 19 in a side of said stem, providing three holes 18 through which the pin can he inserted, the stern can he adjusted to onethirc the distance between the notches it? The space hands are supported in upper position lay logs spoil a shsi rotates nor surface of the bar 7 which is on the same side as the thick ends of the wedgeshaped bands 11. The upper portion of said/shaft 21 rotates in a bearing 23 cast upon the outside of the extended end 3. Said shaft has secured thereto a finger lever 24:.

Said lugs 20, in the normal position of said shaft, engage inward projections 26 from the inner edges of the lowermost band 10, which has not been moved to its operative position, and thus supports all of said bands 10, 11, but, upon turning said shaft by pressure' upon the finger lever 24, said lugs are removed from engagement with said projections, whereupon said band 10, and the corresponding band 11, fall into position above the series of matrix plates which have been already assembled in the holder. The next upper band 10 is, however, still upheld by escapement lugs 28, which, by the same movement by which the lugs 20 are withdrawn from the projections 26, move in front of said projections 26 of said next band 10 and support said next upper band and all the other upper bands in their position. When pressure is removed from'the finger lever, the shaft 21 is rocked back to its normal position by means of a spring 30 coiled around the shaft, one end of which is sec red to said shaft 21 and the other end to the bearing 23, and upon the return of the lever and shaft to their normal positions, the lugs 28 are withdrawn from in ront of the projections 26 on said next succeeding hand 10, which can thereupon fall a slight distance, until it is arrested by the lugs 20, which have then been restored to their original position. In order that the operator may not have to exercise any judgment or care as to the amount of pressure to be given to the lever 24, there is formed on said lever an arm 32, which, in the rotation of said shaft 21 is adapted to engage the under side of the stem 15 and arrest the rotary movement of said shaft at exactly the proper angular position to remove the lugs 2Q from in front of the projections 26 and permitthe band 10 to descend, and another arm '33 on said lever, by engagement with the upper surface of said stem 15, limits the return movement of said shaft 21. Slidable upon the stem 15 is a sleeve 3% to the lower end of which is secured a follower 35 bifurcated at its ends, each end being adapted to straddie the corresponding bar 7, said follower being pressed against the uppermost one of the series of space bandsby means of-a. coiled spring 36 surrounding vthe sleeve and stem and interposed between said follower and the upper extended end 3 of the base. As each pair of space bands is moved in the manner just described, the pressure of this spring continually acts to press the lowermost remaining space band of the series against the lugs 20 upon the shaft 21 and to maintain all of the space bands in the proper position for operation. t will be seen that, with this construction, the operator can employ both hands in assembling the matrix plates in the matrix plate holder, and, upon the assemblage of the matrix plates corresponding to any word of the line, by pressing with his finger upon the finger lever, without having to carefully gage the pressure exerted, he can release the pair of space bands for spacing said matrix plates from the next succeeding matrix plates, which space bands thereupon fall into position without any further care or attention on his part, whereupon he can proceed with the assemblage of the matrix plates corresponding to the next word, the shaft automatically returning to its normal position.

When all the matrix plates have been assembled to form a line, the operator justifies the line by pressing upon the thick ends of the bands 11 and moving said bands transversely of the composing stick. It will readily be seen that in a composing stick of this construction it is easier for the compositor, in justifying the line of matrir plates, to press said bands 11 across the matrix plate holder uniformly than it would be for him to press them unevenly. This construction therefore insures that a line of type cast from said matrix plates will be evenly spaced, and not, as is at present frequently the cas in offices where a careless or lazy compositor is em ployed, spaced wider apart at the end of the line than at the beginning, in which case the matter printed from said type presents an irregular and unpleasing appearance. One of said bars 7 is marked on the top with graduation marks 40 and indicating numerals 41 and the lower edge of said cross head is arranged to register with said graduations when said notches are in the proper position, so that one of them is engaged by said pin 17 in one of the holes 18, and said numerals give the measure of the line at which the cross head is set.

We claim 1. In combination with a matrix plate holder having sides between which matrix plates are adapted to be inserted in a line, pairs of spacers movable on said sides from an inoperative to an operative position, a device for retaining said spacers in an inr operative position on said sides, movable means for releasing from said device one pair of spacers at a time, and a movable escapment for preventing the simultaneous releaseof the other spacers.

2. In combination with a matrix plate holder having sides between which matrix plates are adaptedito be inserted in a line, pairs of spacers movable on said sides by gravity from an inoperative to an operative position, a device for retaining said spacers movable escapement, and unita in an inoperative position on said sides, a means for withdrawing said device from its retentive position to permit one pair of spacers to drop y gravity, and moving said escapement into position to prevent such dropping of the other spacers. f

3. In combination with a matrix plate holderhaving uniformly s aced sides-between which matrix plates are a apted to be inserted in line, pairs of oppositely tapering space bands through which said sides pass, one space band of each pair being immovable transversely to said sides, and having a projection, a longitudinal device havlng a part adapted to engage each of said rojections in turn and retain the same out 0? operative position, and means for moving said device so as to withdraw said part from the pro jection which it engages, said device being provided with means" arranged when so moved to engage said transversely immovable space band of the next succeeding pair to arrest the movement thereof out of its inoperative position.

4:. In combination with a matrix plate holder having parallel sides, pairs of space bands, one band of each pair being immovable transversely relatively to said sides and havshaft extending through all of said space bands in their inoperative position, said shaft having transversely exten ding means adapted in each terminalrocking position of said shaft to engage a projection of one of the trans- Gopies of this patent may be obtained tor v ing an inward projection, a longitudinal rock 32* five cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of intents, Washington, D. C. 

